Orobas is the fifty-fifth spirit of the Ars Goetia, a prince governing twenty legions. He first appears as a horse and then takes human shape. His offices include knowledge of past, present, and future events, honors, and favor from friends or enemies.[1][2]
Fidelity to the operator#
Orobas is described as faithful and as preventing other spirits from tempting the operator. This protective disposition is an explicit part of the catalogue's portrait. It makes him a useful comparison with Valefor, whose familiar relationship includes a temptation to steal.[2]
The entry also credits Orobas with true answers about divinity and the creation of the world. Practical social benefits and large theological questions therefore appear together, as they do in Purson's account.
Horse and human form#
The initial horse is Orobas's body rather than a separate mount carrying him. An illustration of a rider can change that relationship, so the distinction is worth retaining when comparing image and text. The human appearance belongs to the later stage of the encounter.[1]
The seal printed with the entry gives a separate identifier. The office of granting dignities or ecclesiastical positions also has variant wording in the manuscripts and translations. A particular edition's phrasing is more precise evidence than a modern summary that reduces all those forms to success or power.
See also#
References
- Lemegeton, Goetia: Orobas, Sloane 3825 transcription · Joseph H. Peterson edition of the historical grimoire, with manuscript readings. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩
- S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, The Goetia (1904), spirit 55 · Public-domain edition. Offices and appearances are statements in this catalogue. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩